Naming You
by Gindokei
Summary: Scar and Mei have a unique relationship. What does the Ishbalan killer mean to a girl who's never known a true father? Parental!ScarMei. Scar might be a little OOC. T for a slight insinuation.


_Naming You_

**AN: I did promise a parental!ScarMei fic, didn't I? This one's for you, Marie! =D**

**WARNING: Pure fluff!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_**.**

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**Mei Chang cast a furtive glance towards the scarred man. Mister Scar was imposing under normal circumstances – with a tall and muscled build, people would hesitate to confront him even if he wasn't a notorious serial killer. She'd never really thought of him as _frightening_ before, though. Mister Scar was her savoiur, and she looked up to him more than anyone else, although Mister Yoki was quite amusing and smart at times, too.

But now… _now_, he appeared truly fearsome. His crimson pupils were dilated, and his breaths came out in harsh pants. Mei shivered and stepped closer to him, hiding herself behind his body.

"I suppose you think it's amusing to do such things," he spoke flatly. "Picking up a girl and running away with her – what did you hope to gain from that?"

The two men who cowered before him did not reply. Scar stalked closer and loomed over them, a muscle in his jaw twitching threateningly.

"_Tell me!_" he demanded, his voice a mere whisper, and yet so laden with rage. "What did you hope to do, kidnapping a young girl? Did you intend to kill her, perhaps, or rob her of her belongings or innocence? You vermin _disgust_ me." And he spat in their faces.

The men flinched, but continued to shake without replying. Mei swallowed and stepped closer to her guardian, reaching out a tentative hand to him.

"Mister Scar, it's all right… I'm fine… they wouldn't have hurt me."

The scarred Ishbalan shot her a disbelieving look through narrowed eyes. Although he said nothing, Mei could sense his scorn, and she felt anger bubble up in the pit of her stomach. Did he think she couldn't take care of herself?

"Please let them go," she added, a hint of steel entering her tone. "They thought they were trying to rescue me."

One of the men gave a quick, fervent nod. Scar curled his lip at them, and then shrugged.

"Very well. Consider yourself lucky."

The men sprang to their feet and darted away with incredible speed. Scar turned away, refusing to look at the young Xingese girl. "Come. Yoki and Marcoh will be waiting."

Mei swallowed again. She'd been so upset at him earlier, but now she felt the sting of his disapproval like salt in an open wound. She wasn't sure when she'd started caring about how Mister Scar looked at her.

At first, she'd thought of him as Mister Yoki's servant, as the ex-coal mine owner had told her. She'd thought he was a mere bodyguard, like her own guards at home. But slowly, her opinion of him had started to change. He'd shown little glimpses of kindness here and there, and when he'd decided to look for Xiao Mei for her… Mei had never had anyone care so much. Even her mother, back at home, had never understood how important the little panda was to her, and had often wearily reprimanded her for letting Xiao Mei run loose.

Mei had never known her biological father, the emperor of Xing. She'd never cared to know him. She'd been brought up by her mother and her clan, and she'd seen how little the Chang clan meant to the emperor. She'd even fancied that she nursed hatred for him, but she didn't, not really. She didn't even know him – she couldn't hate someone she didn't know.

She'd never known what it was like to have a father, but she hadn't missed it. Her mother and elderly nanny had loved her, and Mei hadn't minded the lack of fatherly influence in her life. She'd been happy.

She was still happy, but in a different way. Being with Mister Scar and Mister Yoki and, more recently, Mister Marcoh made her happy. She didn't look at them and see 'man', or 'Ishbalan' or 'doctor'. She looked at them and saw 'friend'.

"Mister Scar…" Mei trotted to keep up with the large man's strides. "I know you don't believe me, but I honestly would have been fine. I do know Xingese martial arts."

Scar grunted. Mei exhaled sharply, wondering if he was really so offended. What had she done wrong? She'd just gone to scout out the surroundings… okay, so she'd gone alone, but Xiao Mei had been with her, and the panda always protected her.

"They told me that they were saving me from you," she added, and then immediately wished she hadn't. Scar's shoulders tensed in a forbidding manner.

"Did they, now?" he answered gruffly. "Do you _want_ to be saved from me, little girl?"

"No!" Mei almost yelled. "No, I… I don't need saving. You're my friend, Mister Scar."

Scar was silent. Mei walked alongside him, noticing how his footsteps had slowed to accommodate her shorter legs.

Abruptly, Scar moved his hand to the top of her head. He let it rest there for a heartbeat, fingers lingering in her hair, before he moved it away. "You're a good girl," he admitted in a low voice. Then he sped up as the campsite came into view.

Mei lifted a hand to the top of her head, taken aback by the usually-stoic man's sudden display of affection. Something inside her jumped – it felt nice to be praised by Mister Scar. Somehow, his words meant more to her than anyone else's – probably because he rarely spoke.

She scampered after him, beaming widely at Mister Yoki and Mister Marcoh. "What's for dinner?"

* * *

Later, she approached Mister Scar when the other two were asleep. The Ishbalan was usually awake even late into the night, standing guard for everyone else. Mei knelt before him and lowered her head, touching her forehead to the ground.

She spoke in a quiet voice. "I am very sorry, Mister Scar. I did not know I had worried you so much. It was foolish of me to go off by myself."

Mei didn't dare raise her eyes until she heard his faint sigh. Then, she lifted her head and observed the assassin. Scar's crimson eyes were on her face, and they were unusually gentle – for him, at least.

"Do not ever forget," he told her quietly, "that you are a young girl and therefore vulnerable. Do not take needless risks."

Mei's cheeks warmed with a combination of indignation and… _pleasure?_ Did Mister Scar really… really care so much about her safety?

"I won't," she promised softly. "I won't."

Scar sighed again. "Go back to sleep, little girl."

Mei, however, did not move for a moment. She studied Scar intently, and her dark eyes were strangely wise as she held his gaze.

"You know," she finally admitted after a while, "I've never had a father." Then, she smiled at him, and Scar felt a dull pain in his chest because no one had ever smiled at him like that before.

"Until now."

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Scar had cast aside his name a long time ago. He'd forfeited all rights to a peaceful life. For a long time, sheer vengeance had driven him, before he'd stopped and seen exactly what companions could mean to a person.

Scar thought he didn't have a name any longer. But that night, the young Xingese girl Mei Chang had given him a new name.

"Father."

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**AN: Say it with me – 'aww'! I squealed when I was writing this!**

**Oddly enough, going over it, I see that a couple of line can be taken in the wrong way. THEY SHOULDN'T BE. I think Scar and Mei's relationship is really sweet, and it reminds me of Sesshomaru and Rin's relationship from **_**InuYasha**_**… doesn't it? Seriously!**

**1,201 words.**


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